The Egypt Healthcare Authority announced the successful completion of the first two transcatheter pulmonary valve implantations under the Universal Health Insurance system at Al-Nasr Specialised Hospital in Port Said. The procedures, costing over EGP 1 million each outside the scheme, were provided free to patients. This marks an unprecedented qualitative leap in state-provided specialised medical services.
The Egypt Healthcare Authority (EHA) has successfully performed the first two transcatheter pulmonary valve implantations (TPVI) under the country's Universal Health Insurance system at Al-Nasr Specialised Hospital in Port Said, the authority announced in a statement. Ahmed El-Sobky, Chairperson of the EHA, described the operations as an "unprecedented qualitative leap" in specialised medical services provided by the state.
The first patient, an 18-year-old, had undergone seven previous interventions since birth and was discharged in stable condition after 24 hours. The second patient, aged 16, suffered from complex congenital heart defects and had previously endured four open-heart surgeries and two catheterisations; he was discharged after 72 hours.
El-Sobky stated that localising this technology aims to end the suffering of children requiring repeated open-heart surgeries by offering a safer and more stable alternative. He added that the Egyptian state prioritises child health, ensuring the latest global medical advancements are available domestically under the Universal Health Insurance umbrella.
The procedures were carried out by the only medical team in Africa certified to perform transcatheter pulmonary valve transplantations, led by Abdel Rahman El-Afifi, Egypt's leading expert in pulmonary valve transplantation and head of paediatric cardiology at Al-Nasr Specialised Hospital and Magdi Yacoub Hospitals. The team included consultants Sherif Suleiman and Mohamed Tawfik, along with paediatric cardiology specialists such as Wafaa Abu El-Kheir and Elham Rabie.
El-Sobky noted that the TPVI technique is one of the most precise medical interventions globally, and that Al-Nasr Specialised Hospital now has an integrated infrastructure of qualified medical staff and advanced equipment to conduct such high-precision procedures to international standards. The EHA said this achievement aligns with its strategy to transform health facilities into "global centres of excellence" and expand advanced medical interventions within the new insurance system to boost beneficiary confidence in its efficiency and sustainability.